“One thing, however, is certain: We will play, fulfil our vow and continue the tradition of the Passion Play”, says director Christian Stückl in an interview I read while having breakfast in Oberammergau. During my stay, I realise that the Oberammergau Passion Play is rightly considered one of the most famous amateur theatres in the world, with almost half a million visitors (in normal years) and over 100 performances per season. Some 2,400 local actors, including children, take part in the performances. That corresponds to about half the village size of Oberammergau at the foot of the Bavarian Alps. Wow.
Moreover, strolling through the village, it is easy to recognise who is playing. At least among the boys and men. About one and a half years before the actual premiere, the so-called “Hair & Beard Decree” is announced. This decree states that all stage performers must let their body hair grow in preparation for the Passion Play the following year. It’s so funny: on the second day of my visit, I already feel confident enough to ask all the long-bearded, long-haired waiters, sculptors, neighbours in the café or at the reception: “You’re playing too, right?” 😀
What follows this question is a cheerful discussion about “the character of Jesus”, his values in today’s world, the zeal and joy of “taking part”, as well as the pride in the almost four hundred year old tradition of the Passion Play in Oberammergau.
Oberammergau: The whole world is a stage.
A visit to the actual village of Oberammergau has an almost fairy-tale like quality to it. Beyond the Alpine architecture, there is also something “southern” to be found here. This circumstance is quickly explained, as the former inhabitants invested a lot of energy (and probably also money) in fresco paintings, which the locals call “Lüftlmalerei”. For many years, Oberammergau was located on an important trade route between north and south. This meant that many typical wood carvings could be sold, as well as fresco painters recruited. Thanks to a flourishing trade, Oberammergau enjoyed enough prosperity to pay for partly immense outdoor fresco paintings!
Had it not been for the plague. Similar to today’s pandemic, it ravaged all of Europe in the 17th century and did not stop at the gates of Oberammergau either: in 1633, the inhabitants made their famous vow to perform the Passion of Christ every ten years to ward off the plague. It worked, the spread of the plague did stop, and in 1634, the very first Passion Play took place in Oberammergau. It continues to do so at regular intervals to this day. That, in my opinion, is truly remarkable: In that a single, medieval vow has held the entire village community together over centuries, despite all the changes. Entire life biographies are based on the Passion, family histories are “written in Passion plays”. Fascinating.
Hello there, Oberammergau …
… home of famous wood carvers known well across the borders…
… home also of nativity set makers that continue to fascinate us to this day …
… and finally, home to outstanding fresco-painted houses, such as this “Pilatus” house right in the centre of Oberammergau …
… my charming local guide Helga Stuckenberger is a wood carving artist, too: She takes me around town and explains the history of Oberammergau through their famous artistry …
… the local church holds the original cross where, almost 400 years ago, the plague-stricken locals made their vow to perform, thus putting an end to the spread of the plague …
… resulting in a Passion Play that has lost none of its glory since, simply because Jesus is and never has been “a clear identification figure (…). He raises questions and is meant to irritate. (…) That is why it is very important that everything Jesus says is anchored in the here and now,” Christian Stückl is again quoted as saying about his modern-day stage direction of the Passion Play.
The world-famous Passion Play.
Today, I am sitting face to face with “the 2022 Jesus” like this.
Meet the man: Rochus Rückel is one of the two Jesus actors in the Oberammergau Passion Play, which had to be moved to 2022 after the outbreak of the 2020 pandemic. In his “real life” he is a student of aerospace engineering in Munich and will be writing his Master’s degree in automotive engineering during the performances. Hat’s off to that!
Another new feature in 2022 is that there will be special Youth Days on 7 and 8 May 2022 in the run-up to the Passion Play, which starts on 14 May 2022. These are aimed at a young audience aged 16 to 28; tickets are available from € 8. It will also be possible for young people to stay overnight in private accommodation on site, so that money is virtually no obstacle to taking part in the Passion Play.
All other details, as well as the highly entertaining Passion Play weblog including interesting video interviews with the main actors, can be found here.
I can already tell you a little bit more about the actual preparations in Oberammergau! Come check this out.
The large, specially built theatre can accommodate nearly 4,500 people for every performance …
… check out this (bilingual) timeline of events in the main entry hall of the theatre, detailing the fascinating history of the Passion Play in Oberammergau …
… I was even allowed a glimpse into the cellar and adjoining buildings, where all additional items to the performances are kept: Clothes, shoes, pottery, and a lot more! Soon again, then.
Tips for foodies: Eat well in Oberammergau.
Not far from the famous Passion Play theatre, in fact right across the street, you may find the charming Theater Café. It serves not only excellent coffee and traditional, home-made cakes, but also delicious breakfast and lunchtime menus. It’s a true spot of congregation, as “yes, we’re always full when the Passion Play is going on!”, the friendly owner explains.
Do make a point to come here when in Oberammergau: “Theater Café” right across the street from the main theatre building.
Other great tips for foodies are the Mexican restaurant El Puente (I met “Veronika” here, well the actress of course, who hands Jesus the sweat cloth in the Passion Play), the traditional Oberammergau inn Rose (the owner, Renate, is one of a kind: Be sure to ask her about her family history with regards to the Passion – and take your time for the answer(s)!), the restaurant “s’Wirtshaus an der Dorfstraße” and the Mundart restaurant. You’re guaranteed to find delicious food in all of these places, and your stomach and palate will certainly thank you for it!
Gasthaus Rose: Typical, regional cuisine with a lot of (family) history with regards to the famous Passion Play …
… check out these famous cheese gnocchi (“Käsespatzen”) at the local restaurant “s’Wirtshaus” …
… or head over to Mundart restaurant for fine dining (and drinking) options.
I’ve visited a famous local wood carving artist and made my own carving with him.
As I said at the beginning of my video, I could really let my creative juices flow during this particular carving workshop with Tobias Haseidl. Tobias is not only charming, but very talented, too: His works are known far beyond the borders of his country, he is one of the most renowned carving artists and wood sculptors Oberammergau has to offer! This in addition to the fact that he is also an extremely good teacher. Cheerfully, he knows just how to assist and motivate me in the creation of my small pine wood angel.
Asked about his lack of long hair or beard, he smiles modestly: “I am ‘only’ one of the musicians and sculptors in the Passion Play. I won’t appear on stage, so I don’t have to let my hair grow, either.” He explains that sculpting a larger-than-life snake that comes on stage in one scene of the Passion Play,”I looked closely at how snakes coil around something. We were thus better able to make the plastic come alive. With chainsaws, we formed a magnificent snake sculpture that comes across as very real indeed.”
Oh, if only the Passion Play were already here and I could admire this performance on stage!
Tobias Haseidl welcomes me to his workshop right across his family home. “When commissions for sculptures are bigger than one metre, I use the garden to work.”
Our work won’t be that big: Here I am, happily tinkering with my little angel under the expert guidance of Tobias Haseidl. It’s fascinating how quickly the carving process takes shape, thanks to Tobias’ many good tricks and tools.
After three hours of work, laughter and carving away, here is the final result (my little statue on the right).
Visiting Oberammergau and beyond: Ammergau Alps Nature Park and Linderhof Castle.
Last but not least, I recommend combining your visit to Oberammergau with a trip to the Ammergau Alps Nature Park and the famous Bavarian Linderhof Castle. Both destinations are not far from Oberammergau; considering the environment, you may choose an e-bike tour to explore the park, or take the bus straight to Linderhof Castle.
We even get the “luxury” of taking a local electric car …
… we, that’s ranger Dominik and I, who explains all there is to know about the local area Nature Park.
I’ve loved visiting the Altenau river, which is still “allowed” to flow freely on several sections of its course in the Nature Park …
… as well as Dominik taking me up one of the nearby hills enjoying the famous view over Oberammergau and its adjacent mountain landscape.
Linderhof Castle, then, used to be the main residence of the Bavarian King Ludwig II …
… do make time to visit the castle park also, which is beautiful. I’d recommend at least two hours for your stay.
Last but not least … a note of farewell. This picture, taken at Gasthaus Rose, has the owner Renate say: “My whole family can be seen taking part in the Passion Play. We are immensely proud of our traditions here!”
May they live on for a very long time still!
Check out even more images from Oberammergau and the world-famous Passion Play here:
Disclaimer: I have been invited by the German National Tourist Board as well as the Oberammergau Passion Play on my visit to Oberammergau. All opinions are my own.